Dark Solitude
by LiveLifeLikeNeverBefore
Summary: Haunted whispering echoes. Damning her into the darkest corner. She was supposed to be the light to his darkness.. He possesed it, not her, but she was willing to chase after it to find peace in his embrace. Forever forgetting that Dark Solitue.
1. Chapter 1

**To all of you who have it up to the mountain peeks with me- I owe you.**

**Summary~**_ Haunted whispering echoes. Damning her into the darkest corner. She was supposed to be the light to his darkness.. He possesed it, not her, but she was willing to chase after it to find peace in his embrace. Forever forgetting that _Dark Solitue_._

* * *

It had started again, the whispers that hurt.

_Th_ey _don't want you. They hate you. You're just a pest manifesting in their lives._

Rebecca turned her ear away from the voice, going into distress at the scratch at the voice, huddling as close to the warmth of the bark of the tree that stood in the middle of the swampy surroundings. It always came back, always, whispering the same things.. And she was beginning to believe them.

_Join us. We will help you. Join us._

The second hideous voice chimed in making her cringe and bring her small hands over her ear, a blast of frigid wind making her soul shiver, draining her strength. At once a wave of warmth cocooned her, warm arms surrounded and soft lips pressed against her forehead.

_**Stay with us, mon petite, sweet little life.**_

Rebecca latched onto the presence, shuddering when the whispering became insistent, raising in volume and came out in octaves, jerking her soul back to them. The warmth immediately disappeared, being replaced by chilling tentacles wrapping around her body, her arms, her neck. Choking, strangling. Demanding obedience.

Her physical body started moving restlessly in her mother's womb, the thundering of her heart skipping beats.

Jaxon Daratrazanof jerked her tear filled gaze away from her husband's, staring down in horror at her swollen stomach. "No" a strangled breath left her, her curved hands sprawling over the exposed creamy skin, looking for a way to physically help her unborn child. "Lucian".

"Stay strong, Honey" Lucian ushered, her fingers curling around her neck for a deep massage while his other held the curve of her stomach lightly, "just breath for her, follow my lead so she can follow yours"

"She keeps getting farther away, Lucian".

"We won't let her, just keep her to you" Lucian's voice was iron, his head leaning on the side of hers as he let his eyes droop down and he exited his body, into hers. Jaxx shifted, thrusting her hand into his thick hair as an anchor. She felt him, a soothing flow of energy giving her hope.

It had been going on all six months of conception, the constant battle for their little girl's life. Their Prince had told them of the extensive care it took to extract the parasites and evil influence from the fetus's mind, offering to aid them by sending them a cherished healer, Ivory Malinov, over to the states. Both Lucian and Jaxx refused, knowing the uprising of the vampires and mages alike that would stop at nothing to cut off any support from the Prince. Traveling was too risky for any who were in the Carpathian Mountains.

_**Stay with us, mon petite, our bright light.**_

She clenched her eyes shut, taking a deep break and letting the pressure of Lucian's head and hand steady her, clearing all negativity from her thoughts and focused on the small life she carried. She was so small, so fragile, but she had fought ever since the first beat of her bud sized heart. It had amazed Lucian's brother, Gregori, that their small bundle had survived so long with just the two of them to keep her above the influence.

The baby shifted again, her heart beat finally taking the lead of her parents' hearts, settling down. The mental connection to her mind cleared, allowing them both access once more.

Rebecca shuddered as she scurried out of the tree's rotted roots that she had been dragged down with those horrible insects and those persistent voices. Her eyes shifted restlessly over the colorless field before she found strength in her soul to run towards the warmth of the mist in the tall grass. The small particles of mist clung to her skin, blanketing her as she huddled down into the protection of its roots, hiding from the searing view of the ominous tree.

_**Rest, mon petite, sweet one.**_

The soothing voice stroked her, lightening her soul, and she soon found herself letting the light sweep her away into soothing rest until the next time they all knew would come again, the ongoing struggle with the whispering.

* * *

She woke with a small cough, scrunching her nose against the spiked ends of her mother's hair that was pressed against her face, the constant movement making it scrape gently strokes against her cheek and small nose. Smell was the first thing to process, the soothing aromas of healing herbs and candles, then sound, the brush of materials as the movements increased, labored breathing against her ear, then the feel of arms and hands against her body.

_**Cry. Please cry, mon petite, our little survivant.**_

Sound. The warm voice that always talked to her. It held warmth, a deep voice that promised protection and devotion, it made her heart stutter, made her realize she was forgetting something.

_**Breath, mon petite, just breath for us, we beg of you. **_

She obeyed the plea, letting a rush of radiate oxygen fill her premature lungs then out.

Than the small, broken, cries filled the room.

Jaxon let out her own cry of relief escape her as their daughter fought for air, her body coming alive from the rock like state it was in when she was forced into labor a whole month earlier than planned. She came out as still as death, now the sight of her flailing limbs lifted the terrible weight from her chest. Jaxx looked up at Lucian who was crouched next to them, head buried in the crook of her arm that held their child, blood red tears slowly leaking down its length.

She lifted her teary gaze to his brother who had gathered his life mate in his arms as she took blood from him, replacing it from the struggle of the birthing process, "Francesca, Gabriel" they looked up at her, a warm smile offered, "thank you, so much… she wouldn't have made it without your guidance".

"No" Francesca denied, shaking her head, dark locks swaying gracefully at the action, "your little _survivant_ is exactly what she is called, she could not have found life without the love of you both" her gaze softened, "we ourselves must get back to our own, I am sor-"

"You have done a wonderful job" Jaxx soothed, "go, we will inform you of any progress" she looked up at Gabriel, a playful smile tugging at her lips, "you'll hear it, I'm sure, from this blabbering fool" she stroked Lucian's locks, detangling any knots that were found.

"Enjoy it before she starts walking, then" Gabriel's eyes glinted with humor, "then, you won't be talking about her, you'll be running after her".

"Shew" Lucian's voice chuckled, making the child's cries come to a hiccupping halt, the vibrations coming off of him to her form catching her attention, as well as the voice itself, "don't ruin my glory, brother"

"As you wish _frère_" He bowed slightly, even when meaning it to be mockingly, he couldn't help the happiness for his brother show on his face before he and Francesca faded out of the room.

Rebecca turned her head, but before she could fully turn it, she was brought down, away from the warmth, and just as fear was about to grab a hold of her, the fear of those whispering voices, before she saw two brilliant faces that set her at ease.

"_Mon petite_" The man sighed, trails of color running down his cheeks, "what a long journey you've had".

Thin eyelids blinked over brown iris's, fascinated.

They man continued, "beautiful eyes just like your _mère" _his eyes strayed to the woman, making the little girl follow his lead, to the woman with blond spikes framing a delicate face, and cinnamon eyes sparkling back at her.

"Hair just like your father's" the woman winked at her. They both laughed, like music to her small ears...

_They will tire of you quickly. You will be useless._

They were still there.

* * *

Hope you enjoyed! Review if need be.


	2. Chapter 2

**Yo no quiero hablare espanol... BLAH, can't even say _that_ right.**

**Enjoy.**

* * *

The tree still stood solid and tall, an ill-omened being that never seemed to waver as years passed. The black veins pulsed furiously throughout the bark making the ground shiver under its intrusion. Dark clouds loomed closely to the to its barren branches.

Rebecca stared unblinkingly at the sight, her small thumbs twiddling with one another. Occasionally her eyes would twitch to the opaque water that lay around her, fearing a blind attack. Her dark, thick, hair tied loosely into an intricate French braid, her huddled body even more disheveled.

_Come to us, foolish child, let us feed you. Come._

Little arms folded over her head, rocking in a motion too familiar to her.

"Just a bit longer" she reminded herself in a hushed tone, always a hushed tone. It was always the same since she could remember, inevitable to many occasions, she tried to stay awake, to elongate the period in which she came to this retched place. It only made her susceptible to the compulsion that the whispers utilized, making her ill and prone to sleep for longer periods of time.

Sleeping meant more torture from the tree. It was the time of the sun she loathed the most.

_We only want the best. Come…_

"_Maman_!" a strangled cry tore from her throat as she felt the coldness hurtling her into a numb abyss, the water lapping persistently at her shivering body, "_Papa_!"

_They don't love you. They left you for dead. Left you all alone.. _

All warmth was jerked away from her, mind and body, leaving her feeling bare for all to see. Rebecca dipped her head deeper into her knees, sobs wracking at her body as negative thoughts swarmed her own, ceasing all the calls to her parents that pressed close to the surface.

_That's it. Come to us. We will rid of that emptiness. Nothing can get you. Come to us… feed us._

The water rose with momentum as her soul was overwhelmed by the essence of evil. Fighting against it just resulted into more whispering, more dark offers that didn't help pull her out of her lethargic sleep. She was drug closer to the tree, the shades from the clouds above illuminating scorning faces, ones of pure hatred that stared down at her, promising the wrecking pain that came each time it managed to drag her under its rotten roots…

_**Come back to us, mon petite, little light.**_

"_Papa_!" Rebecca cried out twisting in the water's dark embrace, desperately clawing at the rotting bottom to get away from the tree, "_Maman_!"

_**Breath with us, mon petite. Open your eyes, our shining light.**_

Jaxx held her six year daughter into the shelter of her arms, ignorant of all the locals of Romania who glanced sympathetically at the scene, a misunderstanding being an understatement. It was getting worse with each rising that she refused to sleep, finding aid in the Carpathian Mountains being their only option now despite all the risks that had kept them away as far as this day.

"Wake up, my baby girl" she breathed into her delicately rounded ear, kissing it gently, waiting for the first flutters of her heart, aching for them. It rendered her frustrated that this, this _thing_ seemed to be apart of her child, not a physical being that she could express a mother's rage on. With lightning, tons of it before even disincarnating the heart.

_**Easy, mon amour, we will deal with it when it comes, I promise you that.**_

She gave a wary side look at Lucian as warmth brushed at her collar bone, their daughter's first breath to the evening, and the rhythmic beating of her heart flooded both minds with warmth. Rebecca's small head lifted, sleep still evident on her young features as she registered both presences of her parents before shivering and laying her head back down in defeat.

Jaxx's eyelashes covered her shadowed eyes for a moment before she gathered her courage and picked up her pace headlong for the Inn that had been a public meeting place for as long as she could remember from her converted life. Lucian followed closely behind, his large hand on the small of her back for the contact both knew she needed. The moon hung over both of their heads, illuminating grief and anxiety.

"Daratrazanof" A welcoming, though mellow, emerged from the darkness of the shelter of the Inn's roof distinguishing the form of Jacques Dubrinski, "it is good to see you, though I wish this wasn't of circumstance to bring you here" his eyes centered to the bundle in Jaxx's arms.

_They have brought others to hurt you, hurry, come, feed us. We will erase all the pain, come, little girl, come and please us.. Come…_

Rebecca shuddered hard enough to rattle her teeth as the voices seemed to grow in strength, coming alive in stature, a small figure forming behind her shut eyelids. So dark.. Dark and tempting, the figure took in a more symmetrical form, all disorientations quickly disappearing. A hand reached out from the fog…

_Come, feel our torture as they plunged a stake into our hearts.. Come to us.._

White laced pain sprouted from her chest, burning into the core of her chest, right beneath her heart, a suffocating feeling pulling at her throat. Immediately her mind went out to her parents to find their hearts and try to follow the calm pulse, fighting back the whispering, the dark image and peeled her eyelids back to have a better advantage of fighting her way into reality.

"Ah, our _mon petite_ has decided to come join us" Lucian spoke putting his chin on Jaxx's shoulder to peer down into her caramel eyes, his smile tight and eyes weary, "ready to meet the rest of our _famille_?" His hand pressed possessively against Jaxx's waist, the other finder Rebecca's head in a warming gesture.

Rebecca turned her head to the new presence, taking in the dark hair and eyes like her father, a superior essence, as well as a reluctance of a past emotion. His clothes were loose and boots looking brand new. Her eyes stared into his dark ones for a moment, taking in his emotion, the darkness that hid beneath.

_Dark like the forever darkness we lived in. Will you condemn us any longer?_

Immediately her eyes lowered and she nuzzled her head into the hallow of her mother's neck to find peace. Jacques caught the absence of what a child of her age should be acting like. His eyes slashed his brother and sister-in-law, a child with these set of parents shouldn't be silent in their own solitude. His own child, a mire handful of years older than she, would have acted differently towards his own family, new or not.

_**Don't start comparing, my child is ill, not defected.**_ Lucian warned through a narrow mental path he had with him, his eyes glazed as they sliced through Jacques's. His lip curled up in a paternal nature to protect his child from a threat.

_**Forgive me,**_ Jacques replied with a slight bow of his head making Jaxx glance curiously at Lucian while stroking their daughter's hair in a soothing motion, _**I am just observing, Mikhail needs precise details if we have hope of healing your child.**_

Lucian met his response with silence, absently kissing Jaxx's temple, the hand in Rebecca's hair rubbing.

Jacques held back a sigh of exasperation, how things were just simpler with just Shea and Stefan. _**Very well, she will be safe in the lobby of the Inn with the other children while we discuss this**_.

_**Jaxon, honey?**_ Lucian asked for permission to let go of their child for a couple of hours alone. He saw her stubborn mouth thin out in fear, her arms tightening around their gift, _**it is for the best.**_

_**This is too much,**_ Jaxx sighed, rubbing her small chin on Rebecca's silky strands of hair, so much like her father's, "Baby? Would you mind if Daddy and me have a small talk with the grown ups? You can meet some of new friends, even your cousins you hear about all the time. Does that sound fun?". Rebecca's head lifted at the question directed to her, chapped lips parting slightly and the bags under her eyes intensified with the faint light of the Inn. Jaxx tapped her button nose lightly to lighten the mood.

"Do I have to play, _maman_?" her voice was small and wispy.

"No you don't, baby" Jaxx sighed sadly tears catching in her eyes once again. _**What if we can't find anything, Lucian?**_

Lucian pursed his lips at his daughter, catching her attention, and he crossed his eyes making the corners of her plump, pink, lips twitch softly in amusement. _**There is always hope, honey, you have proved that to me.**_

"Shea will arrive with Stefan in a short while," Jacques announced aloud, "The rest of the children are inside" _**Falcon and Sarah's little psychics are already here, as well as Savannah's twins, Anya and Anastasia.**_

"Thank you" Jaxx sighed stepping forward once Lucian's arms fell away from her form and headed to the door which was now held open by Jacques. The room had a soft touch to it with the flames licking at the inside of the fireplace sat in the corner, the older children running after each other in a delightful game that sent their soft laughter throughout the complex. It brought a horrible realization to the pit of Jaxx's stomach, something she already guessed, but it sunk in with an unsettling feeling to actually see the truth.

_**Calm, honey, we can change this.**_ Lucian reminded her, feeling her emotions of if they were his own, _**Take her to the front of the fireplace, I feel Shea coming, once she is here, the meeting will commence.**_

Jaxx hesitated for a moment before her feet lead her to the thick carpet that was in front of the radiant heat, crouching down on her haunches, taking the moment to stare down at her child in concern and love. Lucian laid a hand upon her shoulder, squeezing it, his eyes too on their child. "Don't you leave this room, am I clear?" she hugged Rebecca closer for a moment before gently sitting her down, her hand lingering on her flushed cheeks.

Rebecca nodded her head softly, looking at both her parents for a long moment before turning away from them and staring into the flames, delicate arms hugging her middle in a feminine gesture. She faintly heard both sets of feet walk away from her and up the stairs, a door shutting behind them. All that was left was the crackling of the fire and the chants of giggling from the children older than her as the ran around in delight, probably not noticing her..

_They don't notice you at all, vampires will chase you and lock you away, we will set your soul free. They will burn you from your hearts out. Come to us, we can take it all away…_

She dunked her head so that her hair slid as a veil to cover her pale face, the firelight showing shadow in her depthless eyes. The tendrils of cold appeared again, sending sickly sensations over her ankles, compelling the darkness into her conscience body. Her shoulders sagged into themselves, the flames becoming branches, stemming out, reaching for her…

_That's it, come to us, they won't care, they won't notice…._

Rebecca's hands fumbled with one another, white teeth chewing on her lower lip, confusion stressing out her mind. Questioning things became a lost cause years back as the days and hours just dragged on with no meaning except the whispering and the waking. A repeating cycle.

_Yes, a cycle. Death is apart of this cycle, make it quicker, let us help you…_

She coughed to rid of the dryness that filled her throat, rubbing at it, staring endlessly at the branches of fire, the radiation turning into fog, reaching forward, pushing out of its boundaries. Ashes started whirling into a small tunnel, elongating, forming skin of a black hand and long black finger nails, reaching out and-

It all stopped.

Rebecca blinked, her heart pounding in her ears in anticipation, ready for the false hope to be smashed. The whispering ceased, a peaceful silence greeting her heavy head. Her eyes stared back at the crackling fire, the light splashing her figure in color, not one ounce of darkness seeping from it. Her hand clenched on the long skirt that her father had put her in for the occasion, searching her mind for the darkness, seeing if it was just a sick trick, but the tree wasn't there, and the fire remained unchanged in front of her.

In wonder Rebecca reached out towards it with her hand, relishing in the freedom of the action, no voice whispering to her all her flaws, confining her into a hard shell.. Her hand was licked with intense heat, but she didn't process it, her fingers reaching deeper, amazement flowing through her brain in childlike wonder-

_**Baby?**_

Her hand snapped back as another presence brushed against her own and almost cried when a hand clamped down and yanked her away from the bright colors of the fire. No, no, no, no! She needed the color, the freedom-

"What were you doing?" A red haired woman questioned in a panicked voice, kneeling down in front of her and gently clutched her pale wrist for inspection, a rich flowing river gleaming back at her, "any farther and it would have left a permanent mark- are you alright?".

Rebecca stared down at her own hand, the pain numb, then up at the women, a complete stranger and then at the small head of hair that was poking over the woman's small shoulder. Her head cocked to the side in curiosity, still at wonder at the freedom, relishing on the silence.

"May I?"

Her head snapped up in attention, confusion written on her face as she looked at the woman leaning over her palm, eyes worrying over her face. Realization dawned on her and she tried to rip her hand away, the dark promises of the whispers still evident in her mind, that they would feed off of her, take her away from her _Maman _and _Papa_. She vigorously shook her head in denial.

Something pushed at her head, her thoughts, trying to force its way in-

"Who're you?" A cautious voice asked and when Rebecca focused her eyes she was looking into dark, shining eyes of an older boy, "and what did you do?" he eyes lingered to her gaping wound, "why won't you let my Mother help you?".

"Easy, Stefan" the woman hushed, brushing her lips across the boys brow without releasing Rebecca's wrist, "don't give her a fright, she's family".

"I've never seen her" Stefan murmured rubbing his neck, but then his eyes went far off and a small blush crossed his cheeks and he averted his eyes, "I apologize, that was very rude of me".

"Don't distract you father, go contact Lucian and his life mate so they can help" the women instructed lightly.

"I don't know Lucian, Mother" Stefan denied with a shake of his head.

"Gregori's brother, sweet pea" the woman smiled in warmth when Stefan's face went a darker red at the nickname and he immediately scampered up the stair across from them. Once he was gone the woman turned back to Rebecca, "my name is Shea Dubrinsky, what's yours?"

Rebecca finally jerked her hand away from the woman's grasp but winced as it pulled on the burned skin of her palm, the pain pulsing.

Shea opened her mouth and was about to grab her wrist again when Stefan came running back, "I can't find them, Mother, father tells me to be patient, the others are in a conversation"

Shea sighed and looked at both children, "stay here, and don't irritate that wound, I'll be back with your parents as soon as possible to heal that nasty wound".

Nasty.

Rebecca clenched her eyes shut at the dark thoughts that came without the aid of the whispering.

"It's rude to just stare" A younger sounding voice echoed in her ears.

"I'm not trying to be, Trigovise" Stefan grumbled and his footsteps went away from Rebecca's body and a new presence loomed over her. A taller boy, though still younger than Stefan, stood over her, dark eyes staring curiously down at her, a brown sweater and loose pants fitting his lanky figure. Her heart stuttered and a foreign feeling seeped its way into her head making heat rush to her pale cheeks.

"That's a nasty burn" the boy noted squatting in front of her and held out his hand, a warm smile on his lips, "I am called Horatius Trigovise, who are you?". His hand was still outstretched when Rebecca didn't immediately take his offer, but something urged her to trust him, to give him at least her name, he probably already knew, she concluded.

"Rebecca Daratrazanoff" it came out scratchy but at least she got it out, it felt too long since she last had spoken, not screamed, and she let her uninjured hand grip his, shyly. His answer was brilliant, white teeth flashed at her and dimples appeared on his left cheek, his face lighting up with a happy glow that made the pulsing in her hand go numb once more.

"A pleasure, Rebecca" his hand tightened around hers, "may I?" he gestured to her other hand,, "I promise I won't hurt you, my father would chase me around the mountains if I did" he winked at her and more heat seemed to go up to her cheeks and she just nodded quickly before she lost her nerve and embarrassed herself. These new feelings were scary and.. Pleasant. She used to feel detached but now everything was unloading, a wave of excitement, how a child her age should feel.

She placed her burned hand in his gentle hand and his head dipped forward, sniffing delicately at the wound before his eyes flickered to hers, "how old are you, Rebecca?"

That got her thinking, "..s-six" she licked her lips, dipping her head forward shyly.

"I'm fourteen" Horatius said with a grin, "though mother thinks I act five" he lapped gently at the wound, gouging her reaction to see if it caused her pain and when it didn't he ran his fool tongue over her palm, closing the skin with his saliva's healing property, "all better".

Rebecca flexed her fingers, her skin tingling with awareness instead of numb pain, "thank you".

He chuckled and patted her shoulder affectionately before taking a seat down beside her, his shoulder brushing against her smaller body, "This must be your first time to the mountains, I hope you are enjoying yourself".

Her lips twitched upward, a long forgotten muscle that she thought would never build, but words just began to tumble out of her mouth, and soon enough they were having a conversation about the mountains, the sights around it, the stars, the moon.. It felt nice. As time progressed her eyes started to get heavy, and his smooth voice soon sounded like a perfect lullaby, filled with warmth and happiness. The heat of the fire became a safe cocoon, and soon her head was pillowed by the warmest object, and it smelled like..

Rebecca took a small sniff, snuggling deeper into the cushioned object, feeling arms surrounding her.

It smelled of mango and peach…

_**Rebecca..? Baby, are you all right?**_

"Rebecca.. Wake up" Horatius's voice pushed through the heavy weight of sleep that had put her under. Her eyes fluttered, struggled, and finally she was met with more than the pair of eyes she was secretly wanting to see. Jaxx and Lucian accompanied Horatius above her leaden body, though it looked like Horatius was also feeling the affects of the breaking dawn.

She opened she mouth but decided better of it and closed it, choosing just to stare.

Jaxx suppressed the urge to glare at the boy, jealousy ringing its ugly bell. Lucian put a restraining hand on her shoulder, his feelings raging just along hers, but the boy didn't even realize what their daughter had given him, and taken away from them. They both could smell Horatuis's scent cocooning their daughter, as well as the dried saliva on the hand that Shea had shown them was burnt. The one time that their child had been in physical danger they hadn't been there.

"We have some bad news, baby" Jaxx whispered as gently as she could touching her child's warm cheek, stroking it when Rebecca made no move to shut herself away from them, "but we get to go back home, is that okay with you?"

Lucien's jaw clenched tightly at the reminder of what Mikhail had ordered of them. Their child might be a threat, a _threat_ at the age of six, just because of the psychological illness she carried. Most had agreed it might have been the parasites that had earlier made Jaxx's pregnancy a struggle and that the vampires were using Rebecca as their ears, by her mind, like Razvan had once done to his twin when he was imprisoned. They had been ordered to go back to the states, away from the Carpathian mountains until a solution could be constructed.

Rebecca's eyes strayed to Horatius, her heart clenching at the idea of leaving him for comfort and protection towards her and that he held the whispers at bay, letting her have reign her own thoughts. If she went away, would the whispers come back? Probably. Would she ever see him again to feel the taste of freedom?..

She looked at her parents and urged herself not to choke. Pressure came into her eyes…

"..Hope to see you soon, Rebecca"

His warm eyes and wafting scent drifted away as she was carried away, as the whispering once again laughed.

_..they will always steal from you.. Come to us, we will take the pain away… feed us_

* * *

_ **Read and Review.**_


	3. Chapter 3

_**Sorry Again, School will be school and I will continue to barely pass Spanish III :P**_

_**Lots of line breaks for both time skips and change of views... sorry but mind went chaotic when I wrote this, I enjoyed it though, hope you do too!**_

TE ODIO!... JK, Te Amo :)

* * *

"…_Hope to see you soon, Rebecca"_

Horatius willed his eyes open just as his heart took its first beat. Coldness surrounded him in a numbing embrace, the lethargic effects loosening as night made its presence. It had been the same for centuries, it had eaten him at too early of an age. The darkness had come too strong.

The Prince had exiled him to South America with the De La Cruz family.

It was always difficult for him to go on with the knowledge that each day carried the same bleakness, the same suffering of riding against the voices, the whispers in his ear. He couldn't even muster up hate or annoyance when Manolito scrutinized him when he visited the farms, always keeping him at a distance from his family, especially his life mate.

He couldn't even admit it was discouraging, he felt nothing.

Horatius lazily pulled himself out of earth's arms, standing for a moment under the moon's rays before continuing on his patrol of the grounds. The dark whispers came alive, tempting him with power, with the thrill of the game.

_Come…_

He thrust them back inside his head, refusing to carry on the night with their distractions, choosing to exist once more just to meet the sun another day. Another meaningless day.

"**_MaryAnn!_**"

Horatius paused in his trek, staring blankly at the tree in front of him, already knowing the grooves and patterns marring the bark. The forest was just another map imprinted in his mind, time meant nothing to him anymore, just means to death.

"Hey, Hora!" A high pitched voice shriveled into his ears, the notes barely recognizable in the darkness. Horatius didn't even muster up the formality to correct his name, "Hey, wanna go on a trip with us?".

He didn't turn, didn't utter a sound, just focused on the tree before him. It wasn't that he felt the need, but he remembered the rules when in the presence of a Hunter's life mate, and it wouldn't be ideal to interact with one in consequence to said Hunter looking for said life mate only to find her with another Carpathian male. So, he stood there waiting for Manolito to pick up his woman so he can continue with his patrol.

"Come on", MaryAnn said hurriedly, her scent wafting in his nose making the whispers fill his head in hunger, "just say yes, I'll convince Mr. Hot Head to let you go with us!". He felt the heat of her hand ease closer- and just when she was about to touch his elbow, innocent as it may be, he was forced to the ground with a hand crushing down on his throat.

And Horatius let it happen. Again.

MaryAnn had always tried to pull him out to a more social position, talking to him from a distance, offering assistance when Manolito was in rare absence. He knew he should feel honored for the attempt to bring light, but she was Manolito's life mate, not his, and he was had far left the hope behind that he may have ever find his.

This event happened on a regular basis.

"Trigovise"

"De La Cruz" Horatius acknowledged, hands limp beside him, eyes still focused on the tree despite the events that had just occurred. He supposed, as a stray thought, it would be the Hunter who would end his existence, not the morning sun, if things kept up.

"Manolito!" MaryAnn protested, yanking at the Hunter's bulky arm without success, "I was just inviting him along with us, you know, for assistance, you said you wanted someone else to accompany us!"

"I did not mention Trigovise, he is too close to turning" His eyes slighted and flickered to his life mate, indicating a private conversation, and when his lips thinned out, eyes returning to Horatius's still form, they burned holes through him, "though I suppose you need to be watched, pack up, Trigovise"

The tree laughed at him and somewhere in the distance a tree screamed in outrage.

Like he had anything to pack.

* * *

_Save us… too weak, come… take the offer.._

What was the difference between the Vampire and the Hunter in this man? Rebecca blinked as she sat completely still in her rocking chair, letting the man relax his stance in front of the walkway. He had come and stayed for three nights, and three nights the cycle continued.

The question replayed in her mind. He called himself a vampire, but she saw the Hunter.

"They're coming" He rasped out, leaning his head on the wall, his once pale, chalky skin ashen with life, "it is time for you to decide". He claimed to be a monster, yet he offered her sanctuary.

But than again he seemed to be hiding something from her.

_Redemption… sweet redemption.. Feed us.._

Rebecca lowered her eyes in submission to the thoughts yet not submitting to the action. She had almost forgotten how little affect they had on her conscious mind after being asleep for too long. The world had changed, too much where she had found herself away from the noise and cluttered spaces, the days had passed, blurring together and now she wasn't sure how long she had been here.

His amber eyes stared her down, "I offer you my protection, to an unmated female of the Carpathian heritage," he paused, self-doubt creeping into his appearance, but then it hardened again, "I give you my word, as much as my word is worth", his eyes begged her.

"The Hunter's come" Rebecca replayed the information they both already knew, "and I will not allow them to harm you, as a fellow Hunter"

"I have not been called that in a long time," he murmured, looking down at his hand where skin used to hang off, but now he didn't have to hide it in an illusion. The woman in front of him, she took away the voices, the bloodlust, and though he still saw in black and white, he felt like a Hunter again, with only the drive of honor as his code once more. He had thought once you turned you could never go back.. Yet…

The woman had a very unique and valuable gift, if he was correct in his suspicions- no, he _was_ correct. She made a monster a man again, made his body Carpathian once more.

And she didn't even realize it.

Her straight black hair touched the undersides of her breast, bangs hugging under her chin, and her butterscotch eyes wouldn't meet his. She reminded him of another Carpathian, but it alluded him.

But the other Hunters, the Hunters of the Prince. Now that the whispers were diminished, he could think his own thoughts, he didn't dislike the Prince, but he wouldn't put it under him or his Hunters to use this woman, abuse her gift without thought to her wellbeing. He had to do something to repay her for the second chance she had given him.

"If you should not follow me", he allowed, "I shall stay with you". If the Hunters still saw him as one of the undead, so be it, he should have chosen the sun his first round about, let them kill him protecting one of their females. They were probably heading in their direction because of his presence, none the less.

Rebecca's eyes flickered to his finally, "If you wish it, my home is open to you".

_They will know who you are… run, feed us… come to us.._

Her hand twitched and she immediately lowered her eyes once more, uttering, "so be it".

* * *

"You lost him?" MaryAnn groaned, scrubbing her face with her palms, scowling up at her life mate before putting her hands on her hips and huffing, "I thought you said you had him".

"Two days ago, I did" Manolito corrected, not really with them, his mind expanding to find the vampire they had been hunting all over South Africa, _Africa_. He touched all the minds of the natives, finding no strange disappearances or deaths, no dark forebodings. He came back to feel his life mate breath on his chest, staring up at him with a pout, "We will find him"

MaryAnn sighed and glanced at the ever quiet Horatius, seeing him staring at another freaking tree, just.. Staring at it! She could feel the dark in him, but she was _sure_ that if he ever did turn, he would be easy to find and eliminate, he would be too distracted staring at trees- and he never once showed an ounce of the instinct to fight, she wasn't even sure if he ever became a Hunter in his life.

"MaryAnn" Her life mate whispered, making her focus back on him again, he shook his head lightly, "don't underestimate him so quickly, don't let your guard down, not once". He took her hand and kissed it gently, fighting the urge to ditch the said subject and make love to her in an abandoned area of the forest they were currently in.

_Why?_ she asked using their intimate line of conversation, brushing warmth against his tired mind.

_Trigovise was a bit… _he paused, almost smiled with the memories of the young Carpathian he met when the boy who was just seventeen, _he was a hellion, wanting to cause trouble everywhere, getting around anywhere without even our ancients expecting anything- an anarchist if you would. He has matured, but never mistaken him to be dumb minded._

MaryAnn turned an unlikely gaze to the quiet man who appeared to be in his own little world, _you sure we're talking about the same person here?_

_Positive_, Manolito chuckled, chucking under her chin lightly before speaking out loud, "what do you suggest, Trigovise?".

Horatius turned his attention back to the present, pulling his gaze from the tree, "Time will answer our questions".

MaryAnn scowled, "Is that a riddle? Gosh, Hora, that you were more intelligent than that" she ignored the warning shot her way and stuck her tongue out at the stoic man. She turned her gaze upwards, missing the moisturized setting of South America already, with the cattle ranches and most importantly, Home. It was so disserted in this area of Africa, and having only male company wasn't doing good on her nerves, sure, she basically is a councilor, but a girl needs time to herself. All that they have been doing is hunting and rising.

She huffed hair out of her face, wondering where the hell the vampire had led them to.

* * *

There was a disturbance in the earth.

_Come out, come out, little one.. Feed us._

Rebecca opened her eyes, blankly staring at the darkness around her, taking it longer than usual to feel the cold arm that was touching her own.

She frowned.

She was getting rusty, she should be aware of the Carpathian slumbering next to her, though, she mused, it must because she was accustomed to him sleeping in her resting place, he wanting to keep a close proximity with the Hunters close by. She hadn't been near any Carpathian aware of her in many, many years but she knew how to accustom her body not to react to the close proximity of her kind, the nerves and the whispers that gained confidence as they came near.

Practiced not to create any disturbance in the area she left her spot, disappearing in mist to place herself above ground, taking in her surroundings in a single breath. It was quiet, but she learned at as a child not to trust the silence, not even that of death.

_You think you could hide from us?… we're coming for you.._

Rebecca raised her head to the wind, listening to the pulses of the trees, to the stories their roots were seeping out to her, the disturbance of the surrounding forest. She felt the moment her companion jerked awake, heart beating loudly and felt the brush of his essence as he searched his resting place with his mind, and she let him take her in so that he didn't mistaken her for an enemy.

Where were the Hunters?

_In the heavens.. The trees.. We are coming for you… _

Patience was the key, and tolerance, Rebecca reminded herself as earth spewed everywhere, some landing on her straight blouse and short skirt, and a small growl emitting from the chest of the Carpathian. Some people just didn't know how wake up on the right side of the bed.

But, again, she was not the one to judge.

"The Hunters are coming" he hissed, shifting his body to protect her from the right, where he stared intently at the open space in between the trees. She felt the sudden surge of power that flung out of him, a dark power that had the whispers hum in pleasure, that had the whole forest still as if it was holding its breath, then-

There!

* * *

"There!" Manolito shouted in a whisper triumphantly, catching the surge of darkness directly in front of them, maintaining the illusion of a bird in flight, narrowing his vision to catch any abnormal movement, ready for an ambush of any sort.

_Slow down!_ Mary Ann shouted, her heart racing as he started getting carried away, something inside her shifting uneasily, something not right in this- they had suddenly felt it, like it just.. Appeared, like it was there all along, waiting for them. _Come Back!_

It was already too late, a dark shadow hurled itself on to the charging bird that was Manolito, forcing him to shift into his own form, sending them both to the ground only to quickly detach themselves with one another and circle around like mad wolves, fangs bared.

MaryAnn and Horatius landed near them, taking in the vampire before making their move- and before MaryAnn could lung to defend her life mate she was stopped. Her eyes snapped to the moving form of Manolito, whose eyes narrowed dangerously, his lips thin with recognition.

_A Scarletti_ he murmured, in thought as he regarded the vampire who was throwing malice at him, ignoring the other two Carpathian's. Out loud he spoke.

"What happened to you, _Scarletti_?"

"Nothing of your concern, I assure you" The vampire sneered, never breaking his footing as they continued there circles, coming in tighter, muscles sprung tight, "What has brought you to Africa, _Hunter_? As my past knowledge tells, you should be harvesting _Bambinos' _in South America".

"We'll see how much of a _Bambino_ after this, foul one" Manolito snapped, fury rising at the jest pointed towards his life mate.

* * *

_This wasn't part of the plan_

Giovanni Scarletti didn't let his body falter as his mind did, absorbing the soft voice of Rebecca, pointing out the obvious, calming his nerves even as the red flames behind his eyes still shown brightly. He couldn't have helped it, the urge to confront, not to flee, over ridded his pride as he ran toward the Hunters. He didn't know any of the Hunters personally, or the female, but he had heard of the De La Cruz brothers and the rise of their life mates.

They said they had committed themselves to the new prince, but for all anyone knew, they would abuse the unique, unclaimed, female that was with him. That he would never allow, the Hunter in him rose to the challenge to protect.

_I suppose it is no use, is it?_ She asked, gaining part of his attention when he realized she had used the most intimate ways of the Carpathian's to communicate with him, having him wonder how when they hadn't even exchanged blond. It just made it even more important to protect her, though in the back of his mind he considered it may have been his doing, his family was known to be sensitive to psychics.

_Hide, _piccola. He shot back to her, his fangs lengthening when the Hunter in front of him edged forward, just the slight flex of muscle in his calves, but enough to alert him.

_That is fairly new to me…_ She mused softly to herself, making him smile inside, proving his humanity inside.

Then the Hunter lunged forward forcing him to twist a flexible back to avoid being touched, then went into full action when the other Carpathians sprang to his aide, his only option to evade or else he be caught, and that alone was a death sentence.

Once a Carpathian Hunter gets their hands on you, your dead.

As the dance of life continued the clouds above swirled ominously blocking out the light of the moon, forcing eyes to adjust to the change. Thunder rumbled dangerously just as shadows seemed to play with all their eyes, and if it wasn't for the hand that appeared from the darkness that pressed him warmly against a tree he would have been caught in what seemed to be quicksand, yet was not. The female Carpathian cried in distress, the other two hunters struggling, trying to shift but seemed to be unable to fully accomplish the task.

An illusion. An illusion powerful enough to blind any being caught in it.

Even Hunters from an ancient race.

Piccola?_ Is this you?_ Even though he didn't need to ask, he felt obligated to even when he found the small wrist that was linked to the fist clutched to his side, keeping him to tree. He turned and saw Rebecca's slight form against the shadows, sharp shoulders standing out at her slightly angled silhouette. _Rebecca?_

The clouds broke for a split second, the moon light letting him glance at her eyes that were trained on the Carpathian Hunter that had been on the sidelines in the beginning, her lips neutral, not in the usual tight way it usually was in, eyes studying the struggling man who was stuck in the illusion.

_The Prince's men, two different generations_ She made it a statement, finally letting her hand fall and body relax, _do you wish to leave?_.

_It is up to you, whether you think they will listen or not, _piccola. He replied back, watching as indecision played across her eyes, her face forever neutral, seemingly an inner conflict, weighing of outcomes playing in her head.

_Move_, she suddenly whispered, slipping behind the tree where he immediately followed without question, just out of sight when the Hunter she was watching jerked his head in their direction in an audible snap, stilling as he searched for them. His whole frame went still before he burst into rage against the illusion, clawing to get to them, sudden, rough, need in his eyes, getting darker and darker as he failed to escape the trap. He began to yell things out the were not in any language he had come to know yet, probably to spite him.

_Your choice_ Giovanni reminded her, sliding unashamedly against the shelter just her mere presence brought, touching her arm slightly.

* * *

Everything seemed to bombard him all at once, _everything_.

Colors, emotions, feelings, just everything.

It had to be _her_, the one meant for him, his possession, his life mate. She was here, right now, just out of his reach. His eyes swung wildly to the darkness around them, looking for her, struggling against the devil's sand that wouldn't let go. He shouted to the heavens, cursing them to let him go, let him go to her, his savior.

"What's going on!" Mary Ann cried out, past the point of panic, going into hysterics even with Manolito trying to reassure her, "this isn't right, a vampire shouldn't be this powerful-can they?", there were tears in her eyes now, hands clawing at her ankles to get them out of the sand.

"Come out, you pity excuse for the undead!" Manolito roared as bait, trying to tempt the being back to them.

Vampire. His life mate was close to a vampire.

All the years in caves with his parents, hidden escapes, and foolish pranks flushed into his system, clearing any of the darkness away and made him focus on this moment in front of him, focus on the thing that held him back from his goal, his life.

And it was just as easy as that, his dark eyes mentally looked past the sand and into… nothing. The sand was nothing. With smirk that he thought he would never again shed as a Carpathian he trained his eyes where he knew eyes were watching them.

"Bravo", he praised, catching his companions off guard enough to make them stop struggling and stare at him astonished, "practicing to be a magician,?"

"I didn't know Hunters had a sense of Humor, _young_ one" the dark voice taunted back, the sound bouncing from different directions, trying to confuse the Hunters but Horatius kept staring at the spot he knew they waited.

"Let me show you how humorous we can be" he rallied and lifted his foot and started walking forward, dispelling the illusion, now stalking the target with a dark promise, "come play with me".

White teeth flashed in the dark and shadows moved, "that, Hunter, is too old for me, ask your litter mates for that honor". Horatius could see he was about to engage with him but he stopped and his smile widened into more of a baring of teeth, "give my regards to the prince, and warn him his people aren't welcome on my territory".

Then his image faltered, streaming away and Horatius didn't bother to follow, already holding the traitors stench in his lungs to hunt him down later, more concerned with more important matters.

* * *

_Very old worldly of you_ Rebecca commented as they traveled in swiveled paths to scatter their scents so it would take the Hunters longer to follow them, staying at a slow pace, careful not to disturb any animals. Amusement flooded her mind, taunting the voices in her head as they came back with full force now that she put distance between herself and the youngest Hunter.

_I thought so_ Giovanni replied giving the expression of a smile before he turned somber _You knew them?_

_One_ she admitted, refusing to let old memories of their one meeting to resurface, she had groused over that too much in her younger days, _But it has been a long time since our last encounter._

_What happened?_ It came softly, not knowing how deeply the simple question may strike, not knowing it had indeed struck the deepest part of her being, the escape, the departure of a world her parents created, the numbness of sleep she forced herself into, the loneliness of the years after she awoke to a changed world.

_Time_ she answered in a meek voice, the voices laughing at her.

* * *

**Read and Review, any thoughts or comments appreciated!**


End file.
